4
Queen’sOTStudentsGainRecognition for
Share+HelpMentalHealthCampaign
“The best way to break down stigma
is to shareour experiences ofmental
illness and recovery.”
MentalHealthCommissionofCanada
We all have stories and experi-
ences with mental health – whether
they are our own or someone else’s.
The Share+Help project is a social
mediacampaign that brings these sto-
ries to light inaneffort toputanend to
stigma.
Our experience in the Occupa-
tional Therapy Program at Queen’s
University has reinforced the impor-
tance of mental health. One of the
foundationsofoccupational therapy is
client-centeredness, andhandingover
the ability toothers to tell their stories
is truly empowering for the client.
Health is not simply the absenceof ill-
ness - it also includes engagement in
activities that provide personal mean-
ing.We created the Share+Helpweb-
site in the spirit of thesebeliefs.
Thewebsite is a placewhere any-
one is able topost their thoughts, feel-
ings, or experiences with mental
illness. It has the potential to serve as
anoutlet for thosewhomaybea little
less comfortable sharing their experi-
ences, but are looking for peer sup-
port. It’s about creating a supportive
andopenenvironmentwhere there is
nopressure, just acceptance.
Onourwebsite,weput togethera
video of our personal experience of
mental illness. We approached this
videowithno scriptsandno real struc-
ture. The video was shot using an
iPhone camera because we wanted
things to seem raw, informal, andper-
sonal - almost as if you're sittingwitha
close friendwho is confiding inyou.
Thisprojectwassubmitted toastu-
dent competition organized by the
Council of Ontario Universities
(
, andweare
honoured that itwasoneof three final-
ists for Queen’s University. We de-
cided to initiate this project because
we trulybelieve thatourmental health
is just as important as our physical
health, and talking about it is theonly
way toend
the stigma.
JoinOccupational Therapists fromacross theglobe
at theseupcoming events or explore theirwebsites:
Brighton, U.K.
BritishCollege ofOTs 38thAnnualConference&Exhibition
June 3-5, 2014 |
Yokohama, Japan
16th InternationalCongress ofWFOT
June 18-21, 2014
|
/
Queensland,Austrailia
AQueenslandStateConferenceOct. 23-25, 2014 (Australia)
PLANATRIP!
WritenbyKarli Hawken and Edmond Tan,
, @breakstigma
Nombreuxmessagesde réconfort
et de sympathieaudépartement
d’ergothérapiede l’UQTR
Ledépartement d’ergothérapiede l’UQTR remercie les programmes universitaires pour l’expressionde leurs
condoléances lors dudécès tragiqued’uneétudiantede lamaîtriseenergothérapieen février 2014.
Février 2014 aétéunmois des plus bouleversants de l’histoirede l’ergothérapie à l’UniversitéduQuébec àTrois-Riv-
ières, suite audécès tragiqued’uneétudiantede lamaîtriseenergothérapie. Plusieurs d’entre vous avezenvoyédes
messages de sympathiequi ont été affichés pour que tous les étudiants enprennent connaissance. Plusieurs ont
manifestéque cesmots de réconfort ont été très apaisants.
Merci à vous. Il est réconfortant de savoir que l’ergothérapieest unegrande famille.
